VYI County Select basketball differs from House basketball in that teams are selected based on three to four tryouts held in the first two weeks of October. Players must attend a minimum of two tryouts and are selected based on how well they perform at the tryouts. Coaches also may coach summer programs where knowledge of basketball skills can be obtained, but selection based on knowledge of skills in other sports or because of other associations is prohibited.

VYI generally follows the rules of the Fairfax County Youth Basketball League, but it does have its own rules that must be followed by parents and coaches.

1. Players must register at VYI's WEB site prior to attending tryouts and parents must read and agree to all rules related to participation in tryouts and on County teams.

2. Players must attend a minimum of two tryouts held the first two weeks of October, prior to selection for a team, even if they are injured. Any unexcused absence, that is one the player has not cleared with the Division I coach, is reason for not being selected.

3. Players must attend the tryout appropriate to their age/grade level. VYI does not allow a player to enter its program or to rejoin its program, at any other then the expected age/grade level. For example, if a player plays for a 10&Under (5th grade) team one year as a 10 year old, then plays for another club the next year and then wants to return, the only alternative under VYI rules is at the 12&Under (7th grade) level. The player may not try out for the 8th grade team, or be selected for an 8th grade team, as this is considered "playing up" and may deprive another age appropriate player from playing at that level. Players who meet the age criteria of a given league may try out for that team, but if they are eligible to try out for two teams based on age exceptions in FCYBL rules, VYI rules limit trying out for only one team at the appropriate (lower) grade level. Anyone trying out for two age levels at the same time will be removed form consideration at both levels.

The one exception to this rule is that one 9 year old player may be selected by a coach for a 10 &Under team without approval of the County Commissioner. More than one 9 year old on a 10&Under team must be approved in advance by the County Commissioner and for every 9 year old in this position, one extra 10 year old must be added to that team. These players may continue to play up as long as they are selected in that level tryout by the Division I coach. If they are not accepted by the coach at the "older" age level, they may tryout for the lower age level team that is age/grade appropriate for them, but never two teams at the same time.

4. VYI does not allow less than 8 or more than 12 players on a single team, without proper justification and the approval of the County Commissioner. VYI recommends that each coach choose a 10 player team.

5. A player with an injury prior to tryouts is expected to attend all tryouts and may be selected if the coach is familiar with his skills from past basketball seasons or basketball summer play. No player with an injury may be selected solely because of a past association with another sport. If a player with an injury is selected, another player must also be selected, so if the injured player is the 10th selected, for example, the coach must have 11 players on the squad. A player with an injury may not be selected if the injury extends into the regular season and would mean that the player would miss regular season games beginning in early December.

6. FCYBL allows two age exceptions per team for all teams 12&Under and below and VYI follows that policy. Further age exceptions are allowed at the boys 13 and under level, but any person selected as an age exception must meet the criteria in 2. above.

7. FCYBL allows two zip code exceptions per team for all teams and VYI follows that policy. VYI however, asks that all caoches give consideration to players from our area and if there is only a slight difference in skills that area players be selected over out of zip exceptions.

8. Players are chosen at the sole discretion of the Division I coach at that age level and gender, along with his assistants and the Division II coach. Selection is subjective and each coach may select anyone they wish without exception, as long as all rules above are followed. However, VYI recommends that the coach select the 10 players who perform the best at tryouts, within the age/grade and zip code rules above, which fit the desires of that coach for the type of team the coach wants to form. Selections or reasons for selection may not be appealed by parents.